Rodwell helped his country top their group going into Friday’s European Under-21 Championship semi-final with the equalising goal in Halmstad.

And he doesn’t care whether he keeps on playing in midfield or switches back to centre-half so long as he gets the chance to step up to the seniors. Rodwell said: “The person I look up to is Rio Ferdinand.

“I have always played at the back and from a young age I have always looked at him and wanted to play like him.

“As I have come to this age I have started to play in midfield and I believe that Rio did the same when he was younger then moved back to centre-half.

“I have heard the comparisons between me and Rio. It’s brilliant to be compared with such a player as that and I try to base my own game on the way he plays.”